Tightener for fences



(No Model.)

' P. E. OOPFEEN.

TIGHTENER FOR FENCES.

Patented Mar. 18

w no M B u prrsns, Photo-Uthcghphar. Washington 0. c,

UN TED STATES PATENT O FICE.

FRANCIS EDWVIN OOFFEEN, OF KANOPOLIS, KANSAS,

TIGHTENERVFOR FENCES,

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 423,514, dated March 18, 1890.

Application filed July 22, 1889.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANCIS EDWIN 00F- FEEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Kanopolis, in the county of Ellsworth and State of Kansas, have invented a new and useful Tightener for Fences, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has relation to tighteners for barbed and other wire fences, and among the objects in view are to provide an exceedingly cheap and efficient device adapted to grip and insert over the wire a suitable spindle and to be revolved, thereby winding said wire uponthe spindle.

ith these general objects in view the invention consists in adevice havinga pair of jaws the meeting faces of which are of a form adapted to receive the spindle, means for binding the jaws upon the spindle, and a handle for revolving the twister.

Referring to' the drawings, Figure 1 is a general view of a twister constructed in accordance with my invention, the same being in the act of tightening a barbed wire fence. Fig. 2 is a plan of the twister in detail, the two jaws being separated and the binding device withdrawn therefrom. Fig. 3 is a detail of a section of fence-wire after having been operated upon by my twister.

Like numerals of reference indicate like parts in all the figures of the drawings.

In practicing my invention I form the main portion of the twister 1 in two sections 2 and 3. The section 2 consists of an enlarged head portion 4, terminating in a rearwardly-disposed shank 5, having an opening 6, through which 'is passed the bolt 7 of an operating- The opposite section, which I shall handle 8. term the clamping-section 3, is a counterpart of the section 2, with the exception of Serial No. 318,284. (No model.)

shaped opening adapted to receive an ordinary staple, as 12. (See Fig. 3.) Around the recess 11 in each of the jaws there is formed location and construction is adapted to receive a second staple 19, similar to the first, with the exception that it is considerably longer and has-its terminals oppositely bent.

Themanner of using my device is as follows: ,A-short and a long staple, as described, are inserted in reverse direct-ions in the recesses in the jaws. are placed across 'the strands of wire to be upon the screw and the clamping-jaw bound tightly upon its companion, in so doing compressing the staple that'is set edgewise into the jaws. It will be noticed that when in this clamped position the rear end of the clamping-j aw fits snugly against a square shoulder 15, formed by making the jaw of the section 2 less in thickness than with the shank portion of said section. The twister is now revolved laterally and as much wire taken up as necessary, after which the long terminals of one of the staples are bent in reverse directions, as at 16, Fig. 4, and the strand of wire is prevented from untwisting.

It is apparent that numerous forms of staples may be substituted for those herein shown, and that after one operation the bent taken up, if necessary. An advantage accruing from the employment of staples as spindles is that a series of staples projecting from a strand of wire may serve as a support for strips of wood-such as, for instance, laths, whereby cattle are prevented from running against the fence.

Having described my invention, what I claim is- 1. In a wire-tightener, the main section formed with a transverse shoulder, in front clamping-j aw and in rear of the shoulder to form a shank, in combination with a removable clamping-jaw mounted on the first-mentioned jaw and having its rear square end abutting against the shoulder when in a locked position, perforations formedin the of said shoulder being extended to form a a U-shaped groove 13, which by its peculiar The ends of the staple 12 twisted. The thumb-nut is now tightened terminals may be un-bent and more slack jaws, and a binding-bolt having a bindingnut mounted in the perforation, substantially as specified.

2. In a Wire-tightener, a pair of independent separable jaws, each of which is provided with one-half of oppositely-disposed U shaped staple receiving recesses, substantially as specified.

3. In a wire-tightener, a pair of. jaws held 1:: together by clamping devices and each provided with a' U-shaped groove having a deep groove 11 between its branches, substantially as specified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature I 5 in presence of two Witnesses.

FRANCIS EDXVIN OOFFEEN Witnesses: H. A. VVATTS,

FRANK WATTS. 

